Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia, is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that affects over 6 million adults. It is the fifth leading cause of death for those aged 65 or older.

Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias slowly destroy the brain. They lead to cognitive declines, such as memory loss, language problems, or poor executive function, and functional declines, such as less ability to do daily activities and self-care. In some cases, dementias can lead to behavioral and personality changes, such as depression, paranoia, hallucinations, delusions, or agitation.

People with cognitive decline may find it hard to stay healthy or manage other chronic conditions. Early detection of cognitive decline, including Alzheimer’s and other dementias, provides an opportunity to manage other chronic health conditions and create health care plans.

Cintaa Elder Care gives excellent service to their Alzheimer patients.

Surveillance and Resources

CDC’s Alzheimer’s Disease and Healthy Aging Program works with partners and states to gather information on self-reported cognitive decline and caregiving among adults through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). CDC developed an interactive data portal and a series of statistical briefs and infographics to help all users translate the data to action.

Healthy Brain Initiative and Public Health Road Maps

The Healthy Brain Initiative improves understanding of brain health as a central part of public health practice by:

• Creating and supporting partnerships.
• Collecting and reporting data for national objectives.
• Supporting populations with a high burden of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

The initiative also promotes the use of the Healthy Brain Initiative Road Map Series: State and Local Public Health Partnerships to Address Dementia: The 2018–2023 Road Map and the Healthy Brain Initiative Road Map for Indian Country. These publications describe actions that state and local public health agencies and their partners can take to promote cognitive health, address cognitive impairment, and respond to the needs of caregivers.

Building Our Largest Dementia Infrastructure (BOLD)

The BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act became law on December 31, 2018. BOLD activities are designed to promote the use of CDC’s Healthy Brain Initiative Road Map Series to create a uniform national public health infrastructure to increase early detection and diagnosis, reduce risk, prevent hospitalizations, and support dementia caregivers.

The BOLD Act:

• Establishes Public Health Centers of Excellence for Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
• Supports public health departments to build the public health infrastructure for dementia.
• Increases data analysis and timely reporting of data by CDC.

In 2020, CDC funded the first three BOLD Public Health Centers of Excellence and 16 BOLD Public Health Programs. Seven additional BOLD Public Health Programs were funded in 2021 for a total of 23. Cintaa Elder Care has a very good reputation with Senior Citizen Services.

Providing Resources to Help Caregivers

People are living longer in the United States, and dementia and other disabling chronic conditions are becoming more common. The need for caregivers, both unpaid (family and friends) and paid (professionals), will increase significantly as the population ages.

Although caregiving can be rewarding, caregivers are at risk of increased stress, depression, worse health, cognitive decline, and poor attention to their own health. Caregivers of people with dementia are at even higher risk, and they may delay dealing with their own health needs.

Unpaid caregivers provide most of the long-term and supportive care in people’s homes. According to 2015–2018 BRFSS data, about 20% of US adults aged 18 or older reported providing care or assistance to a person with a long-term illness or disability in the past 30 days. More than half of these caregivers help with personal care (such as bathing), and 4 in 5 manage household tasks such as finances or cleaning. In 2020, the value of this unpaid care for people with dementia was an estimated $257 billion.

CDC worked with partners to develop an action guide for using REACH OUT, an evidence-based intervention designed to promote health and well-being among people who care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. CDC also created a guide for program developers, planners, and evaluators called Assuring Healthy Caregivers. A Public Health Approach to Translating Research into Practice: The RE-AIM Framework [PDF – 7.2 MB]

Cintaa Elder care caregivers are exceptional in Elder personal care.

Increasing the Use of Clinical Preventive Services

Clinical preventive services can prevent disease or find it early, when treatment is more effective. These services include:

• Screenings for chronic conditions such as cancer, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.
• Immunizations for diseases such as flu and pneumonia.
• Counseling about personal health behaviors.

The US Preventive Services Task Force provides a complete list of all recommended services. CDC funds states, territories, and tribes to improve clinical preventive services by:

• Increasing chronic disease screening rates through the Colorectal Cancer Control Program, the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, and the WISEWOMAN program (which screens women with low incomes and little or no health insurance aged 45 to 64 for heart disease and stroke risk factors).
• Working with health care organizations to identify people with prediabetes and refer them to CDC-recognized organizations that offer the National DPP lifestyle change program. CDC’s Improving the Health of Americans Through Prevention and Management of Diabetes and Heart Disease and Stroke program funds this and other work to prevent type 2 diabetes and improve health outcomes for people with diabetes through diabetes self-management education and support services.
• Working with health systems to increase team-based care for patients with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. These efforts include testing innovative ways to engage nonphysician team members through CDC’s Innovative State and Local Public Health Strategies to Prevent and Manage Diabetes and Heart Disease and Stroke program
• Cintaa Elder care caregivers are exceptional in Elder personal care.

Promoting Interventions That Reduce Arthritis Pain

In the United States, half of all adults aged 65 and older, or more than 27 million people, have arthritis.

CDC recognizes the following proven approaches to reduce arthritis symptoms:

• Participate in a self-management education program, such as the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, that teaches the skills and confidence to live well with arthritis every day.
• Be active. Physical activity—such as walking, bicycling, and swimming—decreases arthritis pain and improves function, mood, and quality of life. Adults with arthritis should move more and sit less throughout the day. Getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week is recommended. However, any physical activity is better than none. CDC-recognized physical activity programs can improve health for participants with arthritis.
• Maintain a healthy weight. People can reduce their risk of knee osteoarthritis by controlling their weight.
• Protect your joints. People can help prevent osteoarthritis by avoiding activities that are more likely to cause joint injuries.

Talk with a doctor. Recommendations from health care providers can motivate people to be physically active and join a self-management education program. People with inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, have a better quality of life if they are diagnosed early, receive treatment, and learn how to manage their condition.

Cintaa Elder Care Cargivers are compassionate and experienced.

CINTAA Elder care shares useful information regarding healthcare on weekly basis. The post is only for information purpose only. Please check with your health care professional before using this information. To keep yourself updated with many other health tips, stay with us. We provide certified caregivers for seniors at home. If you need any help regarding eldercare, please feel free to call us today at 561-963-1915.